He then finished off the visitors with a clinical right-footed strike to give his side their first visit to Wembley since the 2012 semi-final, which they lost to near-neighbours Liverpool.

Lukaku was deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge by Jose Mourinho but since moving to Everton in a ?28million deal he has scored 63 goals in 118 appearances and has 25 this season alone - the first player to achieve that feat for Everton since Gary Lineker in 1985-86.

Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, attending his first match since acquiring an ?85million 49.9 percent stake in the club, has pledged to provide the cash to keep their star players and he would be well advised to make the big striker an offer he cannot refuse as soon as possible.

Almost single-handedly Lukaku inflicted Guus Hiddink's first domestic victory since taking over in mid-December and to compound matters for the Dutch caretaker boss, striker Diego Costa was sent off late on after a clash with Gareth Barry which may invite further scrutiny.

The Spain international pushed his face into Barry's neck, seemingly intent on biting him, but appeared to withdraw at the last moment.

The players then embraced but Costa was still shown a red card - and Barry followed moments later for a second booking.

While there had been no indication in the preceding 77 minutes of the brilliance which Lukaku produced, the late flurry of yellow and red cards was entirely predictable.

There were more fouls than shots in a scrappy, over-physical first half which surprisingly saw only two bookings.

It was absolutely no surprise Costa was one, cautioned for jumping into Barry in retribution for the midfielder's foul on him earlier which the Chelsea striker felt should have warranted a yellow card.

Pedro's heavy touch took the ball out of play after he skipped past Robles but it was not until the 44th minute there was a save of any note as Joel Robles tipped over Willian's free-kick.

Costa came closest to breaking the deadlock just before the hour but having skipped past Ramiro Funes Mori and Robles, his shot from the acutest of angles rolled along the goal line and past the far post.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois denied compatriot Lukaku after Cleverley's incisive through-ball but was powerless to deny him when he stepped up a gear 12 minutes from time.

When he picked up the ball wide on the left there appeared little danger but Lukaku set off with such drive and determination Chelsea's defenders just could not handle him. Having weaved his way past four players, he confidently stroked home.

His second, from the other side of the penalty area, was less spectacular but equally clinical.

Chelsea knew the game was up but Costa's decision to clash with Barry was patently ridiculous, considering what had gone before.

His red card was swiftly followed by another after Barry's foul on Cesc Fabregas, but it could not dampen Everton's celebrations as Chelsea's last hope of silverware went the same way as Costa.

TWEET OF THE MATCH

"You'd have got good odds on Costa getting his first ever Chelsea red card for nuzzling someone's neck." - AFP's London Sport correspondent Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) speaks on the betting odds for the nature of ill-disciplined Diego Costa's first-ever red card for Chelsea.

PLAYER RATINGS

EVERTON

Joel Robles: 6 (out of 10)

Leighton Baines: 6

Phil Jagielka: 6

Ramiro Funes Mori: 6

Seamus Coleman: 7

Gareth Barry: 6

James McCarthy: 6

Tom Cleverley: 6

Ross Barkley: 7

Aaron Lennon: 6

Romelu Lukaku: 8

Substitutes:

John Stones (for Lennon, 88 minutes): 5

Muhamed Besic (for Barkley, 90 minutes): 5

Oumar Niasse (for Lukaku, 90 minutes): 5

CHELSEA

Thibaut Courtois: 6

Cesar Azpilicueta: 6

Branislav Ivanovic: 5

Gary Cahill: 6

Kenedy: 6

John Obi Mikel: 6

Nemanja Matic: 6

Cesc Fabregas: 5

Willian: 5

Pedro: 5

Diego Costa: 5

Substitutes:

Oscar (for Willian, 73): 5

Loic Remy (for Matic, 82): 5

John Terry (for Kenedy, 85): 5

STAR PLAYER

Romelu Lukaku had been kept fairly quiet by Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic until a stunning five-minute spell that saw him beat virtually the entire Chelsea defence for his first and then produce a clinical finish for his second goal. To engineer such feats against a club that deemed him surplus to requirements must have been extra sweet.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

There looked little danger when Ross Barkley played in Lukaku on the left with 77 minutes gone but the big striker proceeded to dribble past the Chelsea defence before finding the far corner.

VIEW FROM THE BENCH

Everton welcomed back influential midfielder Gareth Barry from illness as they reverted to four at the back. Leighton Baines played on the left of the defence with Bryan Oviedo ruled out by a chest infection. Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink made only one change from the Champions League loss to Paris St Germain - Nemanja Matic replacing Eden Hazard. John Terry was a late substitute after a month out with a hamstring injury.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

The tone for the first half was set by an early clash between Gareth Barry and Diego Costa that resulted in a yellow card for the Brazilian. More fouls than football followed in the opening 45 minutes and, as so often, Costa was at centre of most of it. Red cards for the striker and Barry were an unfortunate post-script to Lukaku's headline-making of the right kind.

WHO'S UP NEXT?

Everton v Arsenal (Barclays Premier League, Saturday, March 19)

Chelsea v West Ham (Barclays Premier League, Saturday, March 19)

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